Smarter Workflows, Happier Patients

Introduction

Sun Life Health is a Joint Commission-certified Primary Care Medical Home (PCMH) serving 47,000 patients across 14 locations in Casa Grande, Arizona. The organization provides a broad range of services, including primary care, pediatrics, OBGYN, mammography, dentistry and orthodontics, pharmacy, and diabetes education.

‍Challenge: Data-Driven Patient Care

When Dr. Eddie Estrada took over as CEO of Sun Life Health, he was determined to ensure that patient cycle times were accurately tracked to improve quality care. The center’s data previously indicated an average wait time of 30 minutes, but patient feedback suggested that some appointments lasted for hours. Since the data was manually entered into the EMR, its accuracy was questionable. Sun Life Health sought a comprehensive solution that would allow them to reduce wait times and improve patient experience.

Solutions: Data Capture and Workflow Automations

To tackle this challenge, Sun Life Health implemented Stat in phases beginning in December 2022. Stat automatically tracks every step of a patient’s visit, from arrival to departure. By capturing precise timestamps of when providers and staff enter and leave exam rooms, the system provides a comprehensive and accurate breakdown of patient cycle times.

‍The Results 

Cycle Time Reduction and Visual Communication

Stat introduced an intuitive, icon-based workflow on in-room tablets, allowing care teams to efficiently request additional services. This streamlined communication reduced the need for staff to locate team members manually. The tablets were customized to Sun Life Health’s workflow, providing quick access to services like blood draws, second blood pressure readings, pediatric dental visits, behavioral health counseling, pregnancy tests, and other in-room procedures.

One of the primary benefits of Stat was a 32% reduction in wait times, exceeding Sun Life Health’s goal of bringing wait times below 15 minutes. Between Q1 and Q4 of 2023, average wait times dropped from 19 minutes to 11 minutes.

"Stat gave us a visual of the appointment timeline from arrival to provider. What we saw gave us confidence that we could meet our goal of 15 minutes." - Breah Wasson, Practice Manager at Sun Life

Leveraging Patient Alone Time for Additional Services

By analyzing Stat data, Sun Life discovered that patient alone time—before and after provider visits—ranged from 20 to 30 minutes per visit. They used this time to offer additional services, such as:

• Diabetes education, pediatric dental checks, behavioral health counseling, and pharmacy counseling
• Conducting in-room lab tests
• Confidential conversations with patients about outstanding balances
• Distributing blood pressure cuffs for at-home testing

Room Utilization Insights

A review of Stat room utilization reports at Sun Life highlighted an opportunity to optimize exam room allocation. While a high-performing provider requested additional exam rooms, the analysis revealed that one of the existing rooms was primarily reserved for overflow but remained underutilized for most of the day. By leveraging this data, Sun Life was able to enhance space efficiency and ensure that exam room usage was maximized to better support patient care.

"One of the more important reports is our room utilization data. Having room utilization data allows us to see where we can put additional providers. We  used the data when we designed our new campus, to set the number of rooms and MAs we needed for each provider, and the best size for our waiting room. Having that data allowed us to make accurate decisions, rather than guessing." - Trey Davis, Director of Information Systems

Enhancing Patient & Staff Satisfaction

Stat didn’t just improve patient experience—it also empowered Sun Life Health’s staff to be more engaged and proactive in improving workflows. By improving wait times and transparency, Sun Life saw a 75% reduction in patient complaints about wait times. Patients also gained more control over their experience by viewing wait-time projections on a monitor in the waiting room.

"It has empowered my team to think about their workflows and make suggestions about what would be helpful. We communicate better." - Breah Wasson, Practice Manager at Sun Life Health

‍Conclusion: Ensuring Exceptional Patient Experiences

By implementing Stat, Sun Life Health improved operational efficiency, reduced wait times, empowered staff, and ultimately enhanced patient satisfaction. The data-driven insights allowed the organization to make strategic decisions that optimized provider workflows, patient throughput, and resource utilization.

To deliver the highest quality patient care, maximize provider efficiency, and enhance staff experience, contact Stat today.

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